Runners Cover Rocky's Route— All 31 Miles of It

In this Feb. 15, 2013 file photo A tourist imitates Rocky Balboa on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

(Newser)
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In Rocky II, the boxer pulls off a rather astounding feat: He appears, in a montage, to run from South Philadelphia to train tracks seven miles northeast, then suddenly back to South Philly before heading all the way to the Schuylkill River. All told, it's a 31-mile, or 50-kilometer, run—longer than a marathon. But that didn't stop local runners from taking on the challenge on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The route was recently mapped by a Philadelphia Magazine columnist, which inspired runner Rebecca Schaefer, 25, to plan an "ultramarathon" requiring no sign-ups or fees (and one that deviated in a single way: no running on the train tracks). Some 150 people showed up for the event this weekend, which ended, of course, at the city's Museum of Art steps, frequently run by tourists as a homage to the Rocky films. With speakers blaring Rocky's theme song, runners arrived and were cheered by a crowd. "Rocky was running to better himself and push his limits, and that's what we did here today," Schaefer said. (Read more Philadelphia stories.)